Combination-battery



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. SGHMAUSER.

COMBINATION BATTERY.

No. 246,036. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

, INVENTOR ATTORNEY h. PETERS Plwlo-Lithcgmphnr Wnshmglon, v2.2.

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

T. SGHMAUS'ER. GOMBIHATION BATTERY.

No. 246,036. Patented Aug. 23,1881.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR WW I IN \N. (l SW W ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

THEODORE SOHMAUSER, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMBINATION-BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE SOHMAUSER, of Allegheny, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Combination- Batteries; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in combination -batteries, and isespecially designed to be used in connection with those in which thecells are movable and are adapted to be adjustably disposed withrelation to their elements, the object of the invention being to enablethe different combinations of which the battery is capable to be morereadily effected than has been before possible, and also to enable thebattery to be transported with absolute safety without removing theexciting-ii uid from the several cells.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in improved devices forelevating the boxes containing the cells and retaining them at anydesired height, in an improved form of hydrostat, and in improvedmechanism for pressing the same down upon the cells to prevent theescape of exciting-fluid therefrom.

Myinvention further consists in certain de tails of construction andcombinations of parts, as will be herein shown, described, an d pointedout in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view, partly in section and partly inelevation, of a battery embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation of my improvements in the lifting apparatus attached tothe rear of the cell-boxes. Fig. 3 is a detached view thereof. Fig. iisaview in perspective of ahydrostat constructed in accordance with myinvention.

Fig. 5 is a view showing the hydrostatin position in the battery-case,and with an improved presser-foot in adjustment upon it; and Fig. 6 is adetached view of the said resser-foot.

A represents the battery-case, provided in front with a hinged plate, B,adapted who opened to enable the cells to be removed when desired.

The front elevating apparatus consists, essentially, of plate B,provided with four sets of vertical slots, 0 of plates D, having pins a,adapted to reciprocate in the said slots, secured part of Letters PatentNo. 246,036, dated August 23, 1881.

Application filed June 24, 1881. (N0 model.)

to their lower ends and provided with two graduated series of notches,E; of buttons F, secured to the front faces of the cell-boxes G, andprovided with laterallyprojecting pins arranged to engage with thenotches E of the plates D, and of a horizontal rod, H, adapted to passthrough tubes 1, attached to or made integral with the said plates D, tosecure them in vertical adjustment when the cells are being raised orlowered.

The particular feature of the lifting apparatus above described which Idesire to claim in this application is the plate B, hinged to the frontedge of the bottom of the case A, and

held in upright position by means of thumbnuts J, or their equivalents,which pass through elongated slots K formed in the ends of the plate. Asthe remaining features of this lifting apparatus are more fullyexplained and claimed in another application, further allusion to themis unnecessary.

The rear elevating apparatus consists of toothed or serrated rods L; ofengaging device M, secured to the rear faces of the cellboxes, and withwhich the hooked lower ends of the said rods are adapted to betemporarily engaged of catches a, arranged to engage with the difi'erentteeth of the rods L to hold them in desired adjustment, and of guides Nand guideways O to steady the cell-boxes as they are raised and lowered.

The particular leatures of the rear elevating apparatus which it is heredesired to claim are the guides and guide-rods,in combination with theother elements of the lifting apparatus, which are separately claimed inanother application for a patent.

In the drawings the devices M are shown as identical in shape withhalfof ahinge, through the knuckles of which a pin, T, is inserted, withwhich the hooked ends of the rods L are engaged when the boxes are beingraised or lowered. The guides N are also shown as being formed by simplybending the strips left between the knuckles at right angles to theplate, which form, as it were,the straps of the hinges. 1

The gnideways O consist in strips of any desired material, verticallysecured to the inner face of the back portion of the case, and arearranged to have the guides in their upward and downward passages withthe cell-boxes reciprocate between them.

It is apparent that the guides and guideways need not be arranged orconstructed exactly as shown, but may be modified and changed asnecessary. However, the devices shown are compact and simple and fullyanswer their requirements.

The hydrostat, which is interposed between the cells and their elementswhen the battery is not in action for the purpose of sealing the mouthsof the cells and preventing the escape of their exciting-fluid, consistsof a hard, flat board, or an equivalent therefor, having its upper facecovered with thin rubber or canvas, R, and having its lower faceprovided with a rubber cushion or pad, S. The ends of the said board orbody piece are beveled, adapting it to be received in the angulargrooves T formed in the sides of the case, whileits inner edge isadapted to be received under and to be pressed down by a horizontal bar,U, secured to the rear wall of the case. The front ends and sides of thehydrostat are provided with strips V, of vulcanized rubber or othersimilar material, which,together with the horizontal bar U and thebody-piece proper, form a shallow basin to receive any fluid which maydrain from the elements after they are removed from the cells. Ifdesired, sheets of blottingpaper may be laid in the said basin to absorbthe fluid falling into it.

It has been stated that the primary function of the hydrostat is totemporarily seal the mouths of the cells when the battery is not inaction, and thus permit it to be transported without the inconvenienceof emptying the cells. In order that the hydrostat may he the betteradapted to fufill this function, I employ a presser-foot which isadapted to be forced down upon it, and thus force the cushion or pad S,secured to its lower face, in close contact with the cells, therebydecreasing the chances of the escape of their fluid. The saidpresser-foot consists in a disk, W, of an elliptical shape, secured torod P, the upper end of which passes through an aperture in a horizontalbar, Y, located near the top of the battery-case. A cap -shaped screw,Z, adapted to fit over the upper end of the said rod P, and providedwith an exterior screwthread arranged to engage with aninteriorlysorew-threaded ring, Q, secured to the bar Y, is adapted toregulate the pressure of the disk W upon the hydrostat. When the batteryis not in action, and before the hydrostat is removed from the case, thecap-screw Z must be removed and the rod P raised and held in an elevatedposition by any suitable device provided therefor. It is simply done inone way by horizontally perforating the rod, as at B, and securing it inan elevated position by means of a pin passed through the saidperforations.

In View of the explanation of the operation of the different devicesgiven, together with a description of them, and in view, also, of theirextreme simplicity, afurther exposition of their operation is notthought necessary.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exactconstruction of parts shown and described, but hold myself at liberty tomake such slight changes and alterations as fairly fall within thespirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a combination-battery, the combination, with a plate hinged to thefront edge of the bottom of the battery-case, arranged to supportelevating devices, and having slotted ends, of thumb-screws secured tothe case, and by engagement with the slots of the plate adapted tosecure it in vertical position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a combination-battery,. the combination, with toothed rodsremovably secured to the back of the cell-boxes, of guides and verticalguidew'ays, between which they are interposed, substantially as setforth.

3. The combination, with a hydrostat having its opposite faces coveredwith rubber or equivalent material, and having strips secured to thefront edge and ends of its upper face, of a horizontal bar secured tothe rear wall of the battery-case, substantially as set forth.

4. In a combination-battery, the combination, with a hydrostat havingits upper face covered with rubber or equivalent material, of stripssecured to the front edge and ends of its upper face, and of ahorizontal bar secured to the rear wall of the battery-case, the rearedge of the hydrostat being received under said bar and forming with ita fluid-basin, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with ahydrostat, of a presser-foot adapted to forceit into closer contact with the mouths of the battery-cells,substantially as set forth.

6. The combination, with a hydrostat, of a presser-foot adapted to exertan adjustable pressure thereupon to force it into close contact with themouths of the batterycells, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a hydrostat, of a presser-foot consisting of adisk secured to a rod, a cap fitting over the upper end of said rod, anda screw-threaded ring, with which the cap engages, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination, with a hydrostat, of a presser-foot consisting of adisk secured to a rod and adapted to be elevated and held in an elevatedposition, and a screw-cap fitting over the upper endof the said rod, andby engagement with a screw-threaded ring to exert a variable pressureupon it, substantially .as' set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand andseal this 18th day of June, 1881.

THEODORE SCIIMAUSER, M. D. [L s] Witnesses:

ALBERT E. LUTY, ALFRED W. KREDEL.

